Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.12304 – NIPPON STEEL / SUMITOMO / JV) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2026-01-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: building industry, chemical product, economic concentration, hire purchase, iron and steel industry, joint venture, merger control, oil pipeline, technology, titanium








C_202600721EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/721


30.1.2026






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.12304 – NIPPON STEEL / SUMITOMO / JV)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2026/721)


1.   
On 22 January 2026, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Nippon Steel Corporation (Japan),










—


Sumitomo Corporation (Japan).




Nippon Steel Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of a newly created company constituting a joint venture based in Singapore.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Nippon Steel Corporation is engaged in the manufacture and sale of various steel products (as well as titanium products). Its other businesses include engineering and construction, chemicals and materials, and system solutions.










—


Sumitomo Corporation is a general trading company, which is active, e.g., in the trading of steel products.






3.   

The business activities of the newly created joint venture will be the following: leasing of Oil Country Tubular Goods made from corrosion-resistant alloy.



4.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2), it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


5.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed concentration to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.12304 – NIPPON STEEL / SUMITOMO / JV
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  
            OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  
            OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/721/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)